Collapsible shipping-crate.



No. 653,972. Patented July l7, I900.

z. T; sTocKs.

. ,CDLLAPSIBLE SHOPPING CRATE.

(Appliution mod New. 91, 1899.)

' z Sheath-Shani (No Model.)

mus FEVERS 0a.. PHOTO-LITHQ. was

m. 653,972. Pmn'm July 11,1900.

2. T. STOCKS. COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING CRATE.

A umiw' mm m 21, 1599. v No Model.) 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M I %YS.

m: NORRIS Psfzns co. wm'ouwa, 'wAsmNoToM n. c

NITED STATES.

PATENT FFICE;

ZACHARY T. STOCKS, OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON.

COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING-*CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,972, dated July 17,- 1900.

Application filed November 21, 1899. Serial No. 737,743. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ZACHARY T. STocKs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ev erett, in the county of Snohomish and State of Washington, have invented a new andlmproved Collapsible Shipping Grate or Box, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to knockdown structures; and its object is to provide a new and improved collapsible shipping crate or box designed for shipping all kinds of goods that require crating or packing and arranged to permit of conveniently setting up the crate or box or of collapsing the same after removal of the goods to allow reshipping of the crate or box at a comparatively-low cost.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the improvement extended. Fig. 2 is a front View of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improvement as collapsed and folded. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of l the improvement as extended, the section being on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of part of the improvement on the line 5 5 in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation of part of the improvement on the line 6 6 in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the locking device for the top and front, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of thelocking-catch.

The improved collapsible shipping crate or box has a bottom A, connected at its forward end by hinges B to the lower end of the front 0, and the rear end of said bottomAis adapted to be connected by interlocking hooks D with the rear side E of the box or crate, and to the upper end of the rear side E is attached by hinges F the topG, adapted to be locked at its forward end by movable catches H to the upper end of the front 0. The ends I I of the box or crate are connected at their forward ends by hinges J to the front 0 and at the rear ends by hinges J to the rear side E of the box or crate, and each of said ends I and I is made in two sections connected with each other by hinges K, as is plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The catches H are arranged at the upper corners of the front 0 and are pivoted thereon at H, a spring H pressing on the fulcrum ends of said catches to hold the same in engagement with their keepers G on the top G of the crate or box. Each catch H is provided with a suitable fingerpiece, as shown, to allow the operator to conveniently swing the catch into an open position when it is desired to unlock the top from the front preparatory to collapsing the box or crate.

As shown in the drawings, the bottom, the front, the rear, the sides, and the top are made of bars and posts; but it is evident that the said enumerated parts constituting a crate may be made of solid pieces in case it is desired to form a box.

In order to give additional strength to the front and top, the front is provided at its middle with a vertical post G, connected by a hinge B with a similar post on the bottom A, and the upper end of the post 0 is adapted to be engaged by a hook G on the top G.

Each of the sections of an end I or I is formed with vertical posts 1 having notches for engaging end bars G at the top and similar bars A at the bottom, as is plainly indicated in Fig. 6, it being understood that the end bars G carry at their forward ends the keepers G and at their rear ends the hinges F and the end bars A carry at their forward ends the hinges B and are formed at their rear ends into one member of the hooks for locking the bottom A to the lower end of the rear side E.

In order to set up the crate when in a knockdown position, it is necessary to first open the folded ends I I, so that the latter nearly extend at right angles to the front 0 and the rear side E. Thenthe crate is placed with the bottom A next to the operator and the bottom is turned over upon the top of the crate and pressed somewhat to the right, so that the ends of the hook members on the bottom A will come to one side of the corresponding members on the rear side E, and then the bottom A is moved to the left, so that the hook members engage one another, as is plainly in dicated in Fig. 1. The crate is now turned over, the top G being next to the operator, then the ends I I are pressed out to their full extent, and then the top G is swung over, the operator swinging the catches H into an open position to allow the top G to come to a final position, and when the operator now releases the catches their springs H cause the catches to close and lock the cover or top to the front 0. The crate is now closed and is not liable to open accidentally or otherwise unless the catches H are swung into an open position to allow of swinging the top rearwardly to open the crate to get at the contents thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A collapsible box, comprising a front, a rear side having a hooked lower end, a bottom hinged to said front and having a hooked rear end arranged for sidewise engagement with the hooked end of the rear side, a cover or top hinged to said rear side and having a hooked forward end, ends hinged to said front and rear side and made in sections hinged'together, and pivoted catches attached to the front and arranged for sidewise engagement with the hooked forward end of the cover, as shown and described.

2. A collapsible box, comprising a front, a rear side, a bottom hinged to said front and having a sidewise hook connection with said rear side, a cover or top hinged to the rear side, spring-pressed catches pivoted on said front, and adapted to swing sidewise into engagement with keepers on said top and ends hinged to said front and rear side and each made in sections hinged together each of said sections being formed with a vertical post arranged for engagement with the top and bottom, as described.

3. A collapsible box, comprising a front, a rear side, a bottom hinged to said front and having a sidewise hook connection with said rear side, a cover or top hinged to the said rear side, spring-pressed catches pivoted on said front, and adapted to swing into engagement with keepers on said top, and ends hinged to said front and said rear side, and each made in sections hinged together, sub stantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ZAOHARY 'r. srooxs.

Witnesses? H. N. ROBINSON, W. W. BLACK. 

